Description: Von Washington has a secret: she has never stopped being pen pals with Master Sergeant Sean Jacobson, the former army buddy of her controlling fiancé. But when Sean comes to town several secrets will be revealed, including that he’s a werewolf! The Good: This is great read with exceptional storytelling, gasp-out-loud twists and turns, and hot, hot, HOT sex. I loved how the author dealt with Sean’s ongoing struggles to control his wolf. And Von’s cousin is awesome. She made me want to call up my favorite cousin for a long overdue chat. The Bad: The epilogue feels tacked on and rushed. The Naughty: Erotic. Women struggling with sexuality. Sexual situations depicted with two different men. Editing issues: 7 typos found....

Description: After getting dumped by his girlfriend, former playboy, Joshua Merrill, begins looking at his friend, Derica, in a whole new light. But can she forget about his past and give him a green light to her heart? The Good: It was nice to read a novel populated by people in their early twenties, and I love the “circle of friends” concept. Super-cute cover! The Bad: Unfortunately, this read like an episode of Beverly Hills 90210 during the post-college years — which I actually loved — but in this case, way too much time was given to other characters, and since we haven’t seen the episodes that came before this one, there was a lot of telling us about main characters and their back stories as opposed to actual character...

Description: Lynn James is willing to do anything to save her beloved stepfather’s ranch, but does “anything” include agreeing to rancher, Jake Ragnall’s erotic ultimatum? The Good: This is a very sexy story with great stakes. Added to that, Ms. Foxx sets up a fantastic back story for the H/H’s parents, with a terrific nod to the older generation of loving couples who paved the way. I also loved that Lynn was full-figured and that this significantly added to her attraction for Jake. The Bad: There’s a big reveal at the end, which is not set up well. The story could have functioned just as well without it. Also, there’s a rival element between Jake and Lynn’s stepbrother that doesn’t add up to much in the end....

Description: Cecily marries Billy, but is forced by his company to also take Billy’s brother Renardo as a husband and lover after Renardo’s wife dies. Drama. The Good: Ms. Wynn takes a complex situation and makes it surprisingly simple and extremely hot. The reader feels for her main character, who really put in a tug-of-war situation. Though the drama is plentiful it also feels organic and earned. Also, I loved that the main characters are working class. And Ms. Wynn’s world building is so seamless, I kept forgetting that this was technically a sci-fi romance. She never let the world building overshadow the story. The Bad: The emotional arc is well-plotted and earned, but it doesn’t necessarily feel like the sexual arc is fully resolved....

Description: The economy has been rough on Diahann Marshall’s family-owned ice cream shop and her love life has gone even colder than the product she sells. Can local business owner Sun Li, who she thinks is a Chinese food delivery guy, be the perfect solve for both? The Good: Compelling premise. I’m a big fan of mistaken identity plots and kept on reading just to see how it would all turn out. The Bad: The H/H relationship is so under-developed that the great set-up is effectively ruined. Both characters (but especially Sun Li) lack strong/clear motivation, which makes suspension of disbelief particularly hard when certain romantic plot points play out. At the end of the day, this romance just isn’t very romantic. Also, the heroine’s...

Description: When Crystal asks her widowed best friend, Gail to be a surrogate for her and her husband, Rashid, using one of Gail’s eggs, Gail reluctantly agrees. But when Gail starts dating a handsome divorce lawyer named Greg after her successful insemination, what starts off as a favor soon turns into a complicated love story filled with passion and drama. The Good: Oh, I am mad as Ms. Wynn. I had important things to do the weekend I read this book, but I couldn’t it put it down. This story is such a page-turner, and I was deeply engaged until the end, which is quite a feat for a book that’s quite a bit longer than your usual IR romance. This was a highly, highly romantic read with unique situations that had me on the edge of my seat. I...